The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-02
BOTH JAWS REMOVED.
HAZARDOUS OPERATION PERFORMED
ON A SPANISH SAILOR.
Terrible Result of savage's Poisonous Dart
Michael Castelar's Face is Frightfully Dis
figured But His Life is Saved.


figured But His Life is Saved
Michael CASTELAR, was recently adj
niitted as patient TO Roosevelt Hos
pital, says New York special to Jhe
Cincinnati Enquirer. He is a Spaniard,
about fifty years old, and has spent
much of his time at sea. Three years
ago the bark on which he was acting
Z as mate was driven ashore ON the coast
of Africa in a hurricane. Three sailors
besides CASTELAR, were the only ones
who survived the shipwreck, and one of
the sailors fortunately, had been a
member of an expedition that had gone
into the interior several years before
In search of ivory and was familiar
with the country and the habits of the
natives. To get to the nearest civilized
settlement would require journey OF
about seven hundred miles through
thick jungles and miasmatic lowlands
and over fifty mountains. The four
started on the wearisome march. AT the
end of month wo OF the sailors died
of fever and after their bodies had
been decently buried the survivors
pressed onward to the place of safety,
There was plenty of food in the Wild
growing vegetation, birds nest and
small game, and much danger from
the wild beasts and ferocious natives.
The two men always avoided the ma
tves whenever it was possible, but on
several occasions there were hand-to-
hand conflicts and the travellers had
many wound to testify to the agility
of the native-born citizens. On one
occasion CASTELAR,, while fighting with
native, was struck in the face with
long, spear-like weapon, the point Of
which was driven through both cheeks.
CASTELAR, grabbed the weapon and with
n dexterous thrust
SENT 1T INTO THE BLACK MANS HEART.
He carried the thing with him after
ward. Some leaves that the sailor
gathered checked the hemorrhage from
the severe wound and when they got to
the settlement, in about ten days, the
wound seemed to be healing well.
An English surgeon was visited, and
to save Disagreement from the imper-
feet healing he reopened the wound
and sewed it up in the regular way.
But the wound did not heal as readily
as had been anticipated, and the flesh
sloughed in surprising manner. Cas-
terlar lost flesh, became exceedingly
weak, and in time his skin became a
dark copper color Then the surgeon,
on examining the weapon with which
the wound was made, found that it was
the travjah, or poisonous spear. The
head of the spear is dipped in vegeta-
BILE poison known only TO the natives,
which, though it acts slowly, is believ-
ed by them to produce certain death.
An antidote was given, and had the
effect of improving the patients con.
dition and rendering his skin natural
color.
The external wound closed in the
check but there was constant soreness
and twinges in both jaws. CASTELAR, was
so completely run down that he was
advised to take sea voyage, and when
a tramp steamer came into port he
shipped on her, bound for China and
thence to this city, Throughout the
long voyage CASTELAR, did not have a
moments peace. The motion of the
vessel seemed to aggravate the pains in
his jaws, and on the trip from China
here he was only n sick passenger, and
would have been turned over to the
fishes if the captain had not been un-
usually mild for his calling. The day
of his arrive he was removed to Roose-
welt Hospital, and his case was carefully
studied in the light of the history of the
injury.
The flesh of the face was greatly
swollen, and there had been rapid in
crease in size during the last month of
the trip. Nearly
ALL THE PATIENTS TEETH HAD FALLEN
OUT
And there were bleeding fungus growths
that projected from the sockets. The
flesh was adhesive and gave out fetid
discharge. From these symptoms and
the gradual decline in the patients
health the conclusion was reached by
DIR. Spencer that the patient had n cam